It’s panic stations. The reason? It’s someone’s birthday in a few weeks, or else Christmas Day is fast approaching. You’ve buzzed around town and nothing’s leaping out to you as suitable for the intended recipient. You’ve looked online and still no joy. You’re a creative kind of individual and you know the other person would appreciate something unique. So how about making something? It doesn’t need to be particularly complicated as I’ll now show.

The use of beads can be found on every continent and worked into a variety of objects, such as jewelry, bags, shirts, hats, dresses, purses, etc. We’re going to start with something very basic, so don’t get nervous. All you need are some coloured beads which you can get through either ordering online from specialist suppliers, or by leafing through a yellow pages and finding a shop in your local town. Next get hold of some sturdy natural silk thread, some bullion (French) wire, and a pair of clasps, some strong glue, and a sharp pair of scissors.

Perhaps draw a preparatory sketch so you have down in front of you the sequence of colours you want realised. You could use pearl beads or coloured beads more likely utilised in Africa and South America. Cut off about 8mm of bullion and then do the same again. Once you have decided on the length of your necklace cut you silk thread. Next navigate one end of the cord through one of the pieces of bullion. After this has been achieved tie a sizeable enough knot to secure it. Then dab some glue over it and place one of the clasps on top. After this has been completed you can start threading the beads.

If you want to space them out you can either create small knots, courtesy of that knitting needle, or by threading slightly smaller beads in between the bigger ones. Once your happy with your bead pattern you’ve created add on the other piece of bullion to the naked end of the thread. Copy what you did earlier and then connect the two clasps. What you’re left with is a beautiful and special gift which will surely be appreciated.

The use of beads can be found on every continent and worked into a variety of objects, such as jewelry, bags, shirts, hats, dresses, purses, etc. We’re going to start with something very basic, so don’t get nervous. All you need are some coloured beads which you can get through either ordering online from specialist suppliers, or by leafing through a yellow pages and finding a shop in your local town. Next get hold of some sturdy natural silk thread, some bullion (French) wire, and a pair of clasps, some strong glue, and a sharp pair of scissors.

Perhaps draw a preparatory sketch so you have down in front of you the sequence of colours you want realised. You could use pearl beads or coloured beads more likely utilised in Africa and South America. Cut off about 8mm of bullion and then do the same again. Once you have decided on the length of your necklace cut you silk thread. Next navigate one end of the cord through one of the pieces of bullion. After this has been achieved tie a sizeable enough knot to secure it. Then dab some glue over it and place one of the clasps on top. After this has been completed you can start threading the beads.

If you want to space them out you can either create small knots, courtesy of that knitting needle, or by threading slightly smaller beads in between the bigger ones. Once your happy with your bead pattern you’ve created add on the other piece of bullion to the naked end of the thread. Copy what you did earlier and then connect the two clasps. What you’re left with is a beautiful and special gift which will surely be appreciated.

They purposefully try to play within their limitations so that they do not embarrass themselves. However, it is important to realize that you can push it to the big leagues as time goes by. This will happen only if you make a conscience effort to push yourself. If you are purposefully defensive and if you believe that you can never make good handmade gifts, then chances are high that you will never be satisfied with your skills. On the other hand, proceeding further and trying out newer and newer things will help you understand that your skills are virtually unlimited.

If you develop the habit of making at least one handmade gift a week, you will find that you are a real expert by the time you complete ten or twelve weeks of hard work. Of course, this is presuming that you are really enthusiastic about the process of manufacture of handmade gift’s.

If you are interested in it because it is just a fad, then chances are high that you will never proceed ahead to the next level. If you are really serious, then you should make it a point to consistently push yourself for more and more. That is the only way you will find your skills improving quickly and the quality of your work becoming better.

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Only here’s the thing: it’s not that difficult. Follow these 5 steps and you’ll be able to make a picture frame or two for canvases of your own.

1) Fine some wood. Any wood would do. If it doesn’t have a recess cut into it then you’ll need someone to plane it out for you. Alternatively, it may have its own. It all depends, but any carpenter should be able to help you out for a small fee.
2) Use a saw to cut the 45 degree angles. This can be tricky, but it doesn’t matter if the angles aren’t perfect and in a minute you will see why.
3) Hammer nails into the corners to join the frame. Two in each corner should be fine.
4) Now take it somewhere where you can be messy.
5) Sand the frame down until it’s reasonably smooth. Then apply a generous coating of emulsion paint of any colour. Repeat this as many as five extra times, then…
6) …It’s time to sand it down with very fine sandpaper. Once you’ve done this, apply a tiny amount of bees-wax to a rag and buff it up.
7) To begin with it won’t look amazing. But after a while, you mark my words, it’ll look shiny as glass. Keep going with the wax until you can see your face in it!
Lastly, put the frame in and use special Z clips to secure it (you may need to ask someone about this or look online. Tin bespoke packaging places or good picture framing stores sell these clips).
9) You are done!

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Christmas is finished for another year, and, as always, I didn’t manage to give as many home-made presents as I wanted. I had the recipient list, all the ideas and the impetus, I just lacked the time. So whilst I’ve decided to start making for next Christmas right now (I know, it’s ridiculous!) I also thought now was the time to have a short round-up of quick crafts for those pushed for time. Use them for last-minute birthdays, for a feeling of satisfaction of an evening (it’s always great finishing a project!) or to build up a stash of presents ready for the festive season.

It can be difficult to find the time, especially if you have kids, to grab those precious crafty minutes. These projects can all be completed in a hour or two at most, meaning that they can be done and dusted even after a full day at work and an evening spent worrying about school uniforms, guttering or caravan insurance .

Teacup Candles

These require a little preparation, as you do need to order in a supply of wicks and wax beads from the internet as well as having a quick mooch around a charity shop in your lunch-break (or a look in the cupboard under the stairs) for pretty cups. However, once you’ve sourced your basic ingredients, it takes very little time to whip these up.

What you need: wicks, wax beads (soya wax is one of the best burners), some teacups, some pencils or pieces of dowelling, a pan and a heatproof bowl that you don’t mind messing up. If you like you can also add some drops of perfume oil to the melted wax stage to scent the candle.

The method: place a wick into your teacup, with the metal base at the bottom. Wind the excess wick at the top around your pencil or dowelling and rest it across the centre of your teacup, so the wick sits where it should when the candle is complete. Selloptape it to the pencil if it’s not long enough to wind. Melt the wax in the bowl using a bain marie and then pour it into your teacup, slowly. You’ll probably need to do it a second time once the wax is solid, as air bubbles and holes form in the candle. Then once it’s completely set you can remove your pencil, trim the wick, and it’s done!

Hand Embroidered Tie

This is fairly self explanatory, and does require basic embroidery skills, but it can be difficult to find crafts suitable as gifts for men! The method can also be used to monogram anything, from bags to socks to towels.

What you need: Embroidery silk in the colour of your choice, a charity shop tie (that your recipient will like!) a print-out of the letter you’d like to embroider in the font of your choice (experiment on your computer to determine the right size you’ll need) and a small embroidery hoop.

The method: First decide where you would like your monogram to sit. Towards the end of the tie, at its widest part, is often a good position. I embroider free-hand, using the print-out as a guide, but there are various ways of transferring the letter onto your tie to stitch around. You could use tracing paper, or print onto thin interfacing which can then be pinned into place, stitched over and then the excess trimmed away. You could also use a stanley knife and tailors chalk to create a stencil with your print-out.

Once this finished clamp the tie tightly in place into the embroidery hoop (this should be tighter than you imagine to keep it steady) with the monogram in the centre. Stitch around the letter using back stitch first, then fill in the letter with satin stitch.

Potato-Print Cards and Gift Wrap

This is one to get the kids involved in. The first stage involves sharp blades, so that bit is for you to do, but once you start using paint, let them have a go. It’s quick and easy and involves things you’ll probably have lying around the house.

What you need: A large potato, a cutting board, craft paper or card, a stanley knife, poster paints, an old saucer or plate, sellotape.

The method: Cut the potato in half. With the stanley knife, carve your design into the flat cut edge. Something simple is easiest and prints best- a carrot, a star, a heart, a letter, a christmas tree. Affix the card or paper to board (or a table) with sellotape at the corners to keep it steady. Pour your poster paint into the saucer or plate, dip your design in (you can use the uncut part as a handle!) and gently but firmly stamp the print onto your card or paper to create your design. Repeat all over for paper, or just in the centre for cards. Remember if kids are getting involved that newspaper or wipeable table cloths and aprons are advisable!

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Dealing with the latter category will result in an unsatisfactory deal. Dealing with the former category will be satisfactory provided you have sufficient cash in hand. Getting good discounts on products made by artisans in the former category will be a very satisfying experience.
Hence, your focus should be on ensuring that you deal with really good manufacturers of handmade products. Further, you should try to secure the maximum possible discounts so that you enjoy good quality at affordable prices. Logging onto the Internet can make a huge difference. The Internet will level the playing field and will help you get in touch with numerous service providers offering handmade craft products that cannot be found anywhere else.

The advantages of relying on the Internet do not end here. You will get numerous ideas that can be implemented in real life. From purchasing custom made suits manufactured by professional suit designers, you can move on to the next step and try making a few such suits on your own. This may be very difficult but is not impossible.
The Internet can also help you identify those service providers who claim to offer good quality handmade products but do not actually do so. Identifying such service providers will be beneficial because you can avoid them and ensure that you do not waste your money on products and services that are not worth the price that is being charged.

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Chess is one of the first things many people think of when talking about craft work. The skill in making a truly high quality chess piece is remarkable. Everyone remembers the scenes in The Shawshank Redemption where Andy Dufrene spends years carving out pieces for a chess set out of limestone. The work requires care, patience, pressure and time. The capital remains a focal point for the craft world and there are a variety of different chess sets in London made by some true artists.

With budgets tight for many people, Londoners in particular are feeling the strain on the purse strings and many are going without a lot of the comforts they usually rely upon. Winter approaches and with it the looming figure of Christmas is shining on the horizon; an unwelcome reminder of the gift giving season. The craft world seems like an ideal choice to search for a unique gift for a significant other. The chess sets in London available to buy are amongst some of the highest quality sets to be found anywhere in the world. Many of the craftsmen showcase their work in London and gain increased sales as a result.

People have been making chess sets for hundreds of years and whilst machines have taken over a lot of the mass production work, there are still plenty of handcraft professionals making unique and high quality sets today. There are many chess sets in London that have come off the toy shop production line so it is a relief to find companies that specialise in the handmade versions. There are more then people think. So what are the ingredients to make a good chess set?

Essentially you need a 64 square board and 32 recognisable chessmen before you can start a game. In its simplest form a chess set could be made by drawing 64 squares on a white sheet and pieces made from paper. Whist the creativity behind this method is not to be scoffed at, those looking for more then a few games will want a more permanent set. Wood has been the mainstay of chess production for years. It’s strong, durable and unless you keep the set somewhere damp, unlikely to rot or degrade badly over time. Materials like bone or stone remain very marginal, in large part due to the time and effort it takes to craft pieces from them. Wood on the other hand offers a lot more flexibility. As it is available in a variety of shades and density, it remains the craftsperson’s choice when making a new chess set.

Whilst chess sets in Victorian times were made from rare and expensive woods like ebony, modern sets take a more economical approach. The most common wood used to carve boards and pieces is now Boxwood and Sheesham. Boxwood is generally clean with little variation in colour making it perfect for crafting chess pieces. Sheesham is largely available in India and is used to make mass produced chess sets across the world. Chess sets in London are often made from these two types of wood.

The art of crafting a decent chess set has even become a popular Design and Technology subject in the UK’s GCSE curriculum. Considering the time and effort it takes to make a chess board as well as the pieces, the fact that it is being taught in schools remains encouraging for older craftspeople wondering if their art will be lost before it can be passed onto another generation.

So for Christmas this year, before you panic about how much money you’re going to have to spend on gifts, take a step back and think. There are plenty of craftspeople selling unique items online and in the city. There are many chess sets in London that are high quality and available for a reasonable price. You just need to take the time to look. As the character of Red from The Shawshank Redemption would say “That’s all it takes really, pressure, and time.”

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Hand made gifts are cool, right? Handmade gifts are personal. Hand made gifts can impress the recipient. However, handmade gifts can be a nightmare for a person who has absolutely no idea how to make a sculpture. The idea of giving a sculpture as a gift is a very cool one.

The idea of making it on our own is even better. However, most persons will stop here and conclude they just cannot come up with a sculpture that is worth giving to others. The idea stops here and people go back to of purchasing thoughtless and useless gifts.

What are the chances of meeting a person named Peter Smith in a bar in north Korea who is wearing a diamond tie pin? Well, you may feel that your chances of succeeding are worse than chances of finding such a person. However, this is where the internet can make a huge difference. How? Well, you can check out videos where people make beautiful sculptures out of clay in the simplest manner possible.

You will realize that making sculptures is a simple task provided you understand the difference between what is and want it appears to be. Let us take an image of a seated tribal as an example. We view the hips and the legs as connected organs. The hips, buttocks and legs are just placed together and the image looks like that of a seated man. The trick here is to use the internet to find out such shortcuts that help you make the best sculptures without any difficulty.

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The title of this post might put you off if you’re more of a numbers person, but the truth of the matter is that many people have a secret ability to carve within them. It may be a bit stubborn about coming out into the open, but that isn’t to say it can’t be trained. With time, someone with no history or experience in sculpting stone or wood can produce some great-looking work.

I know this because I have taught a few people how to carve in stone. And don’t worry about needing loads of chisels and expensive tools: in reality all you need is a couple of chisels and a decent mallet to hit them with. Just remember – the more you spend, the longer-lasting the tools and equipment will be.

The first question to ask yourself is this one: can you keep your hands steady and do you have good hand-to-eye coordination that you can trust on? If you answer yes to both these things then you should have all the skills necessary to create some stunning ornamental coasters for a close friend or relative!

it’s a relatively easy thing to learn with a good helping of determination and patience

Start by drawing out whatever the pattern to be carved is. Do this in white or black chalk-pen, depending on the stone, and be sure to make it as accurate as possible (so that you can relax while cutting the stone). As a guide, hard stone will be tough to carve and soft stone may be a bit too easy. Really, you want to aim for some reasonably tough stone in-between the two. The key is as with everything: practice makes perfect!

Say you have written out 3 piece suit on a wide piece of stone and you want to start carving it: you will need to place your chisel at a 45 degree angle to the stone, so that the inner edge of the chisel burrows deep in enough until it reaches the mid-way point. You then follow the outline of the stone in a V cut, so that you cut one half of the stone at a time. After you have done one side, turn the stone around and follow it up by doing the same on the other.

This may sound highly complicated but in reality it’s a relatively easy thing to learn with a good helping of determination and patience. Be prepared to make some mistakes along the way, of course, because as everyone knows you can’t achieve anything without going wrong at least a few times!

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Further, we never bother to ask ourselves what the recipient really wants. We simply go with what the world think the recipient wants. The end result is that the receiver gets the same type of gifts and remains dissatisfied with the entire process. This is a vicious cycle because a person who receives bad gifts will never put in the effort required to come up with good gifts.

What is it that you want to convey through your gift? If you are short of time, a small handmade gifts may be the most precious of all gifts that you can give. You would be indicating that you are prepared to take time out of your busy schedule because you think the recipient is worth it.

The basic purpose of any gift is to make the person feel special. To buy any material object and to hope that the recipient would like it does not make sense. At the end of the day, we will appreciate only those gifts that are planned well in advance.

Use the internet but never make the mistake of thinking that spending money is all you have to do to get a good gift. Giving gifts is not easy and you should be prepared to work hard to get this right.

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